Singapore flag faux pas: Israel says sorry

Israeli Embassy apologises over insult to Singapore flag

PTI | December 31, 2015 6:30 am

A junior staff member at the Israeli Embassy here used a Singaporean flag as a table cloth at a party over the weekend, prompting the Mission to issue an apology over what it termed as "deplorable behaviour".

Responding to the incident, the Embassy said it was "appalled" to learn of the staff member’s actions.

"The Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed that requisite strong disciplinary procedure will be adopted against the individual after his meeting with the Singapore authorities, reflecting the severity with which Israel views this incident, especially in light of the close and friendly relationship between Singapore and Israel," the embassy said in a statement.

Photos of the incident that took place on Sunday surfaced on the alternative news site ‘All Singapore Stuff’ on Monday.

The images show the Singapore flag on a table purportedly at a condominium, with items strewn on it such as bottles and a pair of sunglasses, according to a report by Channel News Asia.

A police report was made on Sunday.

The Israeli Ambassador was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Singapore, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, the MFA welcomed the Israeli Embassy’s apology as well as its assurances that it would undertake the necessary disciplinary actions against the person in question.

"The misuse of the Singapore flag is a serious offence," MFA said.

"All persons, including diplomats and foreigners in Singapore, must respect and abide by our laws and regulations," it said in a statement.